Distributor for baudelot coolers



March 19, 1940. H. H. EHRMAN DISTRIBUTOR FOR BAUDELOT COOLERS Filed Aug. 10, 1959 m m i n u o m m -N. o o w 0 o n U. 3 I Ly. II i ill|i {L 2 9 $1 QWHHU r H m PM m&

dttornegs Patented Mar. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES DISTRIBUTOR Foa BAUDELOT' COOLERS Herbert H.- Ehrman, Canton, Ohio, assignor to York Ice Machinery Corporation, York, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application August 10, 1939, Serial, No. 289,494 7 3 Claims.

This invention relates to distributors for plate type trickler heat exchangers such' as are used for cooling or heating potable liquids, particularly water and milk.

So-called Baudelot coolers, as now commonly constructed, comprise plates formed of two sheets of non-corrosive alloy steel welded together after pressing into such forms that the sheets, when welded, form a hollow heat exchange plate through which the cooling or heating medium is circulated. The plate is set in a vertical position and the potable liquid is caused to flow downward over both faces of the plate in a continuous film on each face.

Maximum heat exchange depends on the maintenance of the continuous film over the entire surface of the plate. This of itself is a diflicult problem, but the difficulty is increased by the fact that the distributor must be so constructed as to be dismountable for cleaning, and capable of being thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.

The present invention offers a satisfactory commercial solution of the problem, and includes means for feeding a plurality of adjacent plates.

The invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the deflector trough which is removably mounted on the upper edge of the heat exchange plate, a part being broken away toreduce the length of the view.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one end of the deflector trough, drawn on a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the distributor,

drawn on the scale of Fig. 1 and with portions broken away to reduce the length of the view.

Fig. 4 is a section transverse to the deflector and distributor showing the deflector mounted on the upper edge of a heat exchange plate, with the distributor in place, and with a manifold mounted to feed the distributor, shown in the fig'-' ure, and also adjacent distributors (not shown). The deflector trough is formed of two specially rolled sections so formed as to have an off-set trough-forming portion 6 carried by a pendant flange portion 7. Two pieces of such section and .of equal length positioned as shown are connected by spaced rivets 3 with spacing washers 9.

The exchanger plate generally indicated at Ill, in Fig. 4, has a top flange l2 beneath which are cross passages H which extend between verticalheaders l3 and define paths for the heat exchange medium. Loosely stated, the opposite faces of the plate are horizontally corrugated to increase the area, control downward flow of liquid over the plate and provide for internal flow passages for the heat exchange: medium.

The flanges l straddle or at any rate receive between them the flange l2 and have inwardly pressed ribs M which closely engage opposite faces of the. flange l2 and ensure clearance between it and the two flanges l. The spacing washers 9 rest on the top edge of the flange I2. Welded to the ends of the two trough-forming sections are end plates l5. These are notched at I6 to clear the flange l2 of the plate I0 and have semi-circular seats I! for the distributor.

The distributor takes the form of a tube l8 closed at its ends by heads 19' and having two rows of perforations 2! each immediately above a corresponding guide vane 22, formed as flanges on a thin plate 23 welded to the lower side of the tube.

The vanes 22 are slightly shorter than the interval between the plates l5 and thus serve to position the distributor longitudinally. A massive spigot 24, welded to tube l8 limits tilting-of the distributor (by collision with the upper margin of the trough) and serves as a supply connection. It has a socket 25 forming a seat around port 26 for a gasket 21.

Usually a plurality of closely spaced parallel plates ID are used in a single heat exchanger.

To feed these a cross manifold 28 with a plurality of properly spaced downward extending nipples 29 is used. There is one nipple 29 for each plate fed. The nipple seats on the gasket 21 for the corresponding distributor. The cross manifold is held in sealing engagement in any suitable way. More than one cross manifold may be provided, if needed.

Operation Assuming that milk is fed through manifold 28 or otherwise to a distributor l8, jets of milk will discharge from ports 2|. This .milk must strike the trough portion 6 of the deflector either by direct impingement of the jets or by action of the guide vanes 22 in case the discharge rate is slow.

' In any case the effect is to establish film flow over trough portions 6 and flanges I, so that milk flows from the entire length of the lower edges of flanges 1 to respective faces of plate Hi. In other words, film flow is established in the trough and becomes effective at the very top of the heat exchange plate, no matter what the flow rate may be. In the prior art devices, known to me, jets strike the heat exchange plate and if the flow rate varies beyond a quite narrow range,

the film effect does not become fully established for several inches of vertical downward flow. The clearances between flange l2 at the top of the plate, and each flange l are the same, and are so chosen that milk flows from the top edge downward in an unbroken sheet over both faces of plate It]. The milk adheres to the plate by surface tension (capillary efiect) following the undulations of the plate. Thus downward flow is at such a rate that good heat transfer is had.

It will be observed that a film of liquid is delivered to each face of the plate at its top whether the flow rate is low or high and that the clearance limits the maximum rate to a value commensurate with the flow control and heat exchange characteristics of the plate.

The device is simple to construct, is easy to dismount and has no parts which are diflicult to clean. Satisfactory distribution is had over a considerable range of flow rates.

The embodiment above described in detail is intended to be exemplary and not limiting, the scope of the invention being broader than any particular embodiment, and being defined solely by the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination of a trickler type heat exchange plate having an upstanding flange at its top; a feeding trough having a central longitudinal slot defined by substantially vertical approximately parallel spaced pendant flanges between which the upstanding flange on the plate is received; means for spacing the trough flanges substantially uniformly from the plate flange; and a liquid distributor removably mounted above said trough and including means for delivering liquid at a controlled rate uniformly throughout the length of the trough, and into contact with the walls of the trough above said pendant flanges.

2. The combination of a trickler type heat exchange plate having an upstanding flange at its top; a feeding trough having a central longitudinal slot defined by substantially vertical approximately parallel spaced pendant flanges between which the upstanding flange on the plate is received; means for supporting said trough upon the plate flange; means for spacing the trough flanges substantially uniformly from the plate flange; and a liquid distributor removably mounted above said trough and including means for delivering liquid at a controlled rate uniformly throughout the length of the trough, and into contact with the walls of the trough above said pendant flanges.

3. The combination of a trickler type heat exchange plate having an upstanding flange at its top; a feeding trough having a central longitudinal slot defined by substantially vertical approximately parallel spaced pendant flanges between which the upstanding flange on the plate is received; means for spacing the trough flanges substantially uniformly from the plate flange; and a liquid distributor removably mounted above said trough and coextensive in length therewith, said distributor having a fluid inlet, two series of fluid outlets each extending throughout the length of the trough and each directed toward a corresponding side of the trough and downwardly inclined vanes, one below each series of outlets arranged to assure delivery to side of trough of any liquid tending to flow in contact with distributor.

HERBERT H. EHRMAN. 

